A New Kind of Summer Vacation:
The Microtravel Challenge
4 minute read
Few things quite compare with a summer vacation. But amidst this new normal, many are wondering how to safely indulge their craving for wanderlust. To meet that challenge head on, we tasked several seasoned travel experts from some of the world’s busiest cities to take on our Microtravel Challenge – hit the road and discover unexpected hidden gems, while keeping within a 200km driving radius.
Unprecedented world events have called for a different type of getaway
Why Micro travel?
Why? Well, traditionally our summer vacations have offered plenty of variety: beach holidays, foodie city breaks, tours of historical sites, and more. But unprecedented world events have called for a different type of getaway, and as parts of the world ease from lockdown, we are craving travel that feels relaxed, comforting, and safe. We want private spaces in our cars, yet don’t want to compromise on beauty or adventure, or the thrill and happiness that comes from simply taking a break.
Despite its huge impacts on the world, Covid-19 has meant that travel has had to become more sustainable. Carbon emissions from flights have dramatically reduced, and we’re emerging from our homes as more conscious travellers looking for safe alternatives to how we used to live our lives. Whether it’s hopping on an e-scooter instead of public transport, or road travel instead of planes and trains, we’re adapting our norm.
And so we rethink cars, and the road.
And we turn to micro travel.
What is micro travel? It’s the ability to take shorter trips that still satisfy our desire to escape.
What is micro travel?
What is micro travel? It’s the ability to take shorter trips that help us recharge, yet it still fulfills our desire to escape. It’s the chance to see the often overlooked places closer to our home town, places that perhaps we took for granted. It’s the ability to explore the world closer to our doorstep, and the chance to enjoy a more rewarding appreciation of the regions around us – all in a slower, safer and less-frantic way.
Nothing beats hopping in your car for a relaxed road trip to experience the true freedoms and flexibilities micro travel can bring. It allows you to enjoy driving like never before: long open roads and pretty pit stops, your favourite album on the in-car stereo, a smooth, effortless journey on your own time.
But where will you go? To inspire your micro travel adventures, we asked a selection of content creators, based in large, metropolitan cities like London and Berlin, to map out their dream road trip and grab their travel companions to take on the Microtravel Challenge.
Konrad Langer (@Konaction) and Megan and Issy of @TheCuriousPear will be exploring in one of Hyundai’s many sustainable vehicles. This green micro travel fleet will include the spacious KONA Electric, with an impressive driving range of up to 449 kilometers, and the new, emission-free hydrogen fuel cell system powered, NEXO.
After many months in their urban homes, they can now soak up scenery close-to-home and take a smaller, shorter vacation, also known as a micro-cation. Unlike many normal vacations that rush from taxis to airport terminals, these trips emphasize on how you can find beauty along the way, no matter how close your destination may be – whether it’s seaside towns, empty meadows or a place with unusual architecture. With micro travel, it’s not just the destination that matters, but the journey and memories created along the way.
Of course, as they go they’ll be putting our Hyundai's through their paces, considering charging points, sound systems, space and comfort, and everything else that comes with
a driving vacation.
Even though our travel experts are starting their respective Microtravel Challenges from these cities, a micro travel based road trip can begin anywhere. Whether it’s driving alongside vineyards near Paris, touring the coast in Ireland or exploring your back yard, wherever that may be, its beauty is in seeing and enjoying the space around you in a new, safer and more sustainable way.
There’s so much to see when you get out on the road.
So where will the Microtravel Challenge take you?